Taximeter



Jan 3y H. KELCH ETAL 3,295,756

TAXIMETER Filed Deo- 2, 1964 United States Patent O "ice 3,295,756 TAXHMETER Heinz Kelch and Eduard Schuh, Villingen, Germany, assignors to Kienzle Apparate Gambit., Villingen, German y Filed Dec. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 415,394

Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 3, 1963,

15 Claims. (Cl. 23S- 30) The present invention relates to taximeters. c.

More particularly, the present invention relates to tune drive means for driving a taximeter according to elapsed time, so that the taximeter will indicate a certain charge for waiting time as distinguished from distance travelled.

As is well known, the price which is to be charged a passenger of a taxi is indicated on a totalizer of a taxlmeter which drives the totalizer on the one hand according to the distance travelled and on the other hand according to elapsed waiting time. The drive in accordance with the distance travelled is in general provided by a reversible transmission coacting with a rotary lmain shaft of the taximeter, this main shaft transmitting its rotary movement through a suitable transmission to the totalizer. Also, the drive in accordance with elapsed time is transmitted through this .main shaft to the totalizer. In order to provide a drive in accordance with elapsed time it is known to use either a clockwork or a synchronous motor. The rotary main .shaft is conventionally driven by a pair of one-way clutches one of which is operated in accordance with the distance travelled and the other of which is operated in accordance with the elapsed time. The -pair of one-way clutches operate in such a way that the shaft is driven only by that Vone of the clutches which tends to rotate the shaft at the greater speed. With known taxirneters it is possible to change the rate at which the totalizer is driven in accordance with distance travelled as well as in accordance with the time elapsed, but in order to `do such it is necessary t-o change the gear transmission which drives the main shaft. When a clockwork is used for measuring the elapsed time, a change in the rate at which charges are made for elapsed time carries with it the problem of maintaining proper constant operation of the clockwork with constant driving forces, since with a change in the transmission between the main shaft and the structure which rotates the latter at a given speed there is also a change in the forces acting on the armature of the timer so that the control. is inclined to vibrate or to have undesirable following movements which introduce inaccuracies.

The present invention has for a primary object to eliminate these problems.

A further object of the invention is to provide a transmission between the time drive means and the main shaft which does not require any gears so that a gear drive can be completely eliminated between the timer and the main shaft.

In addition, it is an object of the invention to provide a structure which is capable of adjusting the rate at which the main shaft is rotated in response to operation of the time drive with a `simple adjusting structure which does not create any particular .problems in connection with maintenance of the accuracy of the timing means.

Also, it is an object of the invention to provide an adjustable structure which is capable 0f eliminating the possibility of any conflict between the drive of the main shaft in accordance with distance travelled and the drive thereof in accordance with time elapsed.

With these objects in view the invention includes, in a taximeter, a rotary main shaft and a pair of one-way clutch means operatively connected thereto for driving the same, one of these clutch means being a distance 3,295,755 Patented Jan. 3, 1967 clutch means for driving the shaft in accordance with distance travelled and the other 0f the clutch means being a time clutch means for driving the shaft in accordance with elapsed time. A constant frequency electromagnetic time drive means of the invention has an armature which reciprocates at a constant frequency, and this armature is operatively connected with the time one-way clutch means for actuating the latter to drive the main shaft in accordance with elapsed time. According to a further feature of the invention an adjusting means is provided for adjusting the stroke of the armature so as to adjust in this way lthe rate at which the main shaft is rotated from the electromagnetic `means ofthe invention.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will -be ybest understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded vperspective illustration of that part of a taximeter which includes thestructure of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary-elevation of the timing structure of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows part .of the structure in'one operating position thereof; and Y FIG. 4 :shows the structure of FIG. 3 in a different operating position thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown therein a rotary main shaft of thetaximeter, this rotary main shaft 1 extending through a pair of One-way clutch means 2 and 3 which in a well known manner are capable of transmitting -rotation in only one direction to the shaft 1. The clutch means 2 is a time clutch means for driving the shaft 1 in accordance with a drive derived from a time drive means 4, while the clutch -means 3 is a distance clutch means for drivin-g the shaft 1 in accordance with the distance travelled, the travelled distance being rep resented by a moving part driving a transmission 5 which in turn operates the clutch means 3. At its left end, as viewed in FIG. 1, the shaft 1 xedly carries the cam wheel 6 which lserves to transmit the rotation `of the shaft 1 to the t-otalizer which indicates the fare. Thus, this cam 6 turns the lever 7 during each revolution of the shaft 1, and the lever 7',y which is turnably supported at its left end, as viewed in FIG. l, pivotally carries at its right end portion a rpawl 8 which cooperates with a ratchet wheel 9 for advancing the latter at each oscillation of the lever '7 in response to turning of the cam 6. The ratchet wheel 9 transmits its rotation through a Ipair of gears` lil and 11 to the totalizer of which, -for the sake of simplicity, only one numbered wheel 12 is illustrated. The ratchet wheel 9 and the gear 10 are fixed to a common shaft 13 supported `for rotary move-ment in any suitable bearings.

The operation of the oneway clutches 2 and 3 is known. Both lof these clutches operate in such way that the shaft 1 is turned in the same direction by both clutches, .but the interrelationship between these clutches and the shaft 1 is such that the rotation of the shaft 1 in response to distance travelled from the drive 5 and in response to time elapsed from the timing drive 4 will produce no conflicting transmission of forces lbetween these separate drives 5 and 4, respectively.

The one-wayclutch means 3 includes la cam 14 through which the shaft 1 freely passes so that the cam 14 is freely turnable from shaft 1, and this cam 14 is fixed by bolts 15 t-o a gear 16 which is `also freely turnable on the shaft 1 which passes through the center of the gear 16. The cam 14 is surrounded by -a cylindrical housing 17 which is fixed by a pin 18 to the shaft 1.

The drive from the cam'14 to the housing 17 is transmitted through rollers 19 which are respectively acted upon by springs 20 which urge the rollers into the substantial-ly wedge-shaped spaces defined between the inner cylindrical surface of the housing 17 and the exterior surface of the cam 14. The one-way clutch 2 is constructed in the same way as the clutch 3 except that the cylindrical housing 17 of the clutch 2 is not fixed to the shaft 1. Instead the housing 17 xedly carries a pin 21 which extends parallel to the shaft 1 and which is received in an arcuate slot 22 of a disc 23 through which the shaft 1 coaxially passes, this disc 23 being xed to a hub 2-4 which is itself fixed by a pin 25 to the shaft 1, so that in effect the disc 23 is fixed to the shaft 1. In this way the elements 21 and 22 lprovide a` pin-and-slot connection between the clutch means 2 and the shaft 1. The purpose of this connection is described below.

The time drive means 4 is lin the form of an electromagnetic means which includes an armature 28 which is reciprocating back and forth at a constant frequency. This armature 2/8 is in the form of a plate which is fixed by the bolts 27 to the cam 26 of the one-way clutch means 2. The plate 28 has ay hook portion 29 to which one end of a coil spring 30 is connected, this spring urging the armature 28 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1. Also, the armature 28 has an extension 31 provided with a lug 32 which is attracted toward the core of the electromagnet when the latter is energized, this electromagnet 33 having a suitable core situated with a coil. The electromagnet is periodically energized at a predetermined rate by an unillustrated and known multivibrator which'energizes the electromagnet 33 at a constant frequency. Situated over the armature portion 32 is an adjusting screw 34 supported in a threaded bore yof a post 35 ('FIG. 2) which is `ixedly carried by a and thus adjustment of the elevation of the screw 34 will determine the stroke of the armature 28 each time the manget 33 is deenergized so that the springs 30 can turn the armature 28 until its lug 32 engages the bottom end of the adjusting screw 34.

The shaft 1 is capable of being rotated in accordance with the distance travelled by a slected one of a plurality of interchangeable gear transmissions in the following manner:

Between the gear which is driven in a well known manner from a flexible shaft in ac-cordance with the distance travelled and the 'gear 16 is situated an intermediate and meshing gear 38 for transmitting the rotation from the gear 5 to the gear 16, and of course this gear 16 will turn the shaft 1 through the one-way clutch means 3 when the gear 16 turns in one direction. The intermediate gear 38 is turnably supported by one end of a lever 39 which is supported for turning movement by a stationary pin 40, and the lever 39 engages a rotary cam 42 carried by a shaft 41. This shaft 41 is a known control shaft of the taximeter which can be turned for the purposed of placing the gear 38 into or out of mesh with the gears 5 and 16. It is possible to adjust the taximeter so that it will have a position where the gear 38 is in mesh with the gears 5 and 16 or o-ut of mesh with these gears and instead of placing the gear 38 in mesh with the gears 5 and 16 it is possible y"by adjusting the shaft 41 to place in mesh with other gears 5 and 16 a different gear corresponding to the gear 38 but of course being of a different size and providing a change in the transmission ratio, so that by placing this other gear which is not illustrated and which is carried in the same way by another lever 39 which can be controlled yby another cam 42, it is possible for the operator to adjust the taximeter so as to provide a selected transmission ratio from the distance drive means 5 to the totalizer in accordance with the distance travelled, and

in this way the rate at which the fare is determined according to the distance travelled can be adjusted. This latter construction for adjusting the rate of fare for the distance travelled is in itself known and does not form part of the present invention.

ft is to be noted that the cylindrical housing 17' of the one-way drive means 2 has a brake spring 43 in frictional engagement with the exterior cylindrical surface thereof, the spring 43 being stressed to a predetermined extent so as to provide a predetermined force of friction which will maintain the housing means 17 stationary except when it is turned by rotation of the cam 26 with the armature 28 in a given direction.

The drive from the timing means of the invention operates in th-e following manner:

When the electromagnet 33 is not energized, the spring 30 maintains the armature 28 displaced in a clockwise direction from the magnet 33 with the lug 32 engaging the bottom end of the screw 34. During the turning of the armature 28 by the spring 30 upon deenergizing of the electromagnet, the cam 26 and the housing 17 of the one-way clutch means 2 are turned, When the vehicle is stationary, this turning movement is transmitted by the pin 21 to the disc 23 and from the latter to the shaft 1. When the magnet 33 is energized the lug 3-2 is pulled downwardly away from the screw 34, and the cam 26 now turns freely within the housing 17 without transmitting any rotation to the latter, and at this time the housing 17 is maintained stationary by the brake spring 43. The frictional `force between the brake spring 43 and the housing 17 is of course greater than that between the clutch rollers and the inner surface of the housing 17. `Only upon deenergizing of the magnet 33 does the spring 30 pull the plate 28 again in the clockwise direction so as to transmit rotation to the shaft 1. Inasmuch as this stroke of the armature 28 is repeated at a constant frequency, the magnet 33 can act as a time drive means.

The purpose of thepin-andslot connection 21, 22 is the following:

Since the time drive for the taximeter is in general operative not only during waiting periods in order to provide a fare for the time when the vehicle is not travelling, but also during actual travel of the vehicle, then of course care must be taken to see to it that during the travelling of the vehicle above a certain minimum speed, which in general will be about 10 km. per hour, the timing drive can have no influence on the taximeter. When using time drives which do not provide a continuous rotary movement of the shaft 1 but instead turn the latter intermittently, it can happen that the intermittent turning of the shaft 1 by the time drive might take place at a rate faster than the speed with which the gear 16 turns, this gear 16 of course being driven in accordance with the distance -travelled and thus in accordance with the speed of the vehicle. Therefore, if no special precautions are taken, it might be possible for the time drive to overtake the distance drive, and in this way an undesirable addition of distance travelled and time elapsed will result. In order to avoid this latter type of defective operation, the pin-and-slot connection 21, 22 between the housing 17 lof the clutch means 2 and the shaft 1, through the disc 23, is provided. When the vehicle is stationary so that only the time drive operates on the shaft 1, then of course the pin 21 will remain at the right end of the slot 22 of the disc 23, assuming of course that the drive takes place in a clockwise direction, as viewed in the drawings. However, during travel of the vehicle'the disc 23 will necessarily turn with respect to the pin 21 during those periods when the magnet 33 is energized so that the time drivemeans does not transmit any drive to the shaft 1. In this way, because the slot 22 is capable of turning with its right end situated in advance of the pin 21 during travel of the vehicle, the timing impulse delivered to the pin 21 will only turn the latter in the slot 22 without turning the disc 23 and thus without transmitting any rotary motion to the shaft 1 during those periods when the magnet 33 is deenergized and when the vehi-cle is travelling. In this way the structure of the invention will avoid providing any undesirable additional drive of the shaft 1 during travel of the vehicle. Thus FIG. 4 shows the position of the pin 21 and the disc 23 at a time during travel of the vehicle when the slot 22 has been turned in advance of the pin 2li so that the latter can turn freely within the slot without transmitting any rotation to the shaft 1. It may happen, as shown in FIG. 3, that the left end of the slot 22 will engage the pin 21 during travel of thevehicle, but this would only result in rotary movement of the housing 17 with respect to the cam 26 without any undesirable effect.

Of course, the length of the slot 22 can be adapted to the time drive as well as to the tariff range of the taximeter, and for this purpose any suitable adjusting structure for adjusting the length of the slot 22 can be provided. For example the disc 23 can carry a plate 50 which slidably engages thel disc 23 and which can be selectively fixed thereto by screws 51 located in slots 52 in a position covering a relatively long slot 22 to an extent which will determine the free portion of the slot 22 in which the pin 21 can turn. If the slot 22 may be too long, then of course a certain amount of fare which should be charged for will instead be lost, whereas if the slot 22 is too short, then it is possible that a certain amount of fare for waiting time will ber erroneously charged. Therefore, for a particular taxirneter and for particular rates it is undesirable to be able to change the effective length of the slot 22.

It is to be noted that in order to change the rate at which the shaft 1 is rotated in response to the time drive means, it is only required to adjust the position of the screw 34, so that in this exceedingly simple manner which does not require any interchangeable gears or the like it is possible to provide thedesired adjustment of the rate charged for elapsed time without in any way iniiuencing the manner in which the timer operates.

It will 'be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of taximeters differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an electromagnetic time drive, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the gene-ric or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning `and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a taximeter, in combination, a rotary main shaft for representing a fare by the number of the revolutions thereof; a distance one-way clutch means adapted to be driven by distance drive means and operatively connected to said main shaft for turning the latter according to the distance travelled, and a time one-way clutch means operatively connected to said main shaft for turning the latter according to time elapsed; and constant-frequency electromagnetic time drive means having an armature which reciprocates at a constant frequency and which is operatively connected to said time one-way clutch means for actuating the latter to drive said shaft from said electromagnetic time drive means at a predetermined speed to represent a fare for elapsed time.

2. In a taximeter, in combination, a rotary main shaft for representing a fare by the number of the revolutions thereof; a distance one-way clutch means adapted to be driven by distance drive means and operatively connected to said rnain shaft for turning the latter according to the distance travelled, and a time one-way clutch means operatively connected to said main shaft for turning the latter according to time elapsed; and constant-frequency electromagnetic time drive means having an armature which reciprocates at a constant frequency and which is operatively connected to said time one-way clutch means for actuating the latter to drive said shaft from said electromagnetic time drive means at a predetermined speed to represent a fare for elapsed time, said armature being turnable on said shaft and said time one-way clutch means including a driving cam also turnable on said shaft and connected to said armature for angular reciprocation therewith.

3. In a taximeter, in combination, a rotary main shaft for representing a fare by the number of the revolutions thereof; a distance one-way clutch means adapted to be driven by distance drive means and operatively connected to said `main shaft for turning the latter according to the distance travelled, and a time IOne-way clutch means operatively connected to said main shaft for turning the latter according to time elapsed; and constant-frequency electromagnetic time drive means having an armature which reciprocates at a constant frequency and which is operatively connected to said time one-way clutch means for actuating the latter to drive said shaft from said electromagnetic time drive means at a predetermined speed to represent a fare for elapsed time; and adjusting means operatively connected to said electromagnetic means for adjusting the stroke of said armature thereof whereby said predetermined speed is varied in accordance with the fare rate to be charged for elapsed time.

4. In a taximeter, in combination, a rotary main shaft for representing a fare by the number of the revolutions thereof; a distance one-way clutch means adapted to be driven by distance drive means and operatively connected to said main shaft for turning the latter according to the distance travelled, and a time one-way clutch means operatively connected to said main shaft for turning the latter according to time elapsed; and constant-frequency electromagnetic time drive means having an armature which reciprocates at a constant frequency and which is operatively connected to said time one-way clutch means for actuating the latter to drive said shaft from said electromagnetic time drive means at a predetermined speed to represent a fare for elapsed time, said electromagnetic means being driven by an astable multivibrator which energizes and de-energizes said electromagnetic time drive means at said constant frequency, spring means for moving said armature in a stroke in one direction when said electromagnetic time drive means is de-ener gized; and an adjustable stop means for limiting said strokes of said armature in said one direction whereby said predetermined speed is varied in accordance with the fare rate for elapsed time.

5. In a taximeter, in combination, a rotary main shaft for representing a fare by the number of the revolutions thereof; a distance one-way clutch means adapted to be driven by distance drive means and operatively connected to said main shaft for turning the latter according to the distance travelled, and a time one-way clutch means operatively connected to said main shaft for turning the latter according to time elapsed; and constant-frequency electromagnetic time drive means having an armature which reciprocates at a constant frequency and which is operatively connected to said time one-way clutch means for actuating the latter to drive said shaft from said electromagnetic time drive means at a predetermined speed to represent a fare for elapsed time, said armature swinging in opposed directions and having strokes of approximately equal duration in said opposed directions.

6. In a taximeter, in combination, a rotary main shaft for representing a fare by the number of revolutions thereof; one-way distance clutch means adapted to be driven by distance drive means and operatively connected with said main shaft for turning the same according to the distance travelled; electromagnetic time drive means having an armature reciprocating at a constant frequency; one-way time clutch means operatively connected with said electromagnetic time drive means and actuated by the same; and lost motion means connecting said time clutch means with said main shaft so that the same is driven from said electromagnetic time drive means at a predetermined constant average number of revolutions per minute when said distance clutch means drives said main shaft at a speed below a predetermined minimum speed, while said lost motion means prevents driving of said main shaft by said time clutch means while said. distance clutch means rotates said main shaft at a speed above said predetermined minimum speed.

7. A taximeter according to claim 6 wherein said lost motion means includes pin and slot connecting means.

8. A taximeter according to claim 6 wherein said lost motion means includes a disc secured to said main shaft and having a slot, and a pin secured to said time clutch means and located in said slot.

9. A taximeter according to claim 6 wherein said armature is mounted for pivotal movement, wherein said time drive means includes a spring urging said armature to turn in one direction, and wherein said armature is connected with a part of said time clutch for turning movement.

10. A taximeter according to claim 9 and including an adjustable stop means for limiting the strokes of said armature in said one direction whereby said predetermined constant speed is varied.

11. A taximeter according to claim 6 wherein said armature is mounted on said main shaft for turning movement; wherein said time clutch has a drive part secured to said armature for turning movement therewith, a driven part mounted for free rotation on said main shaft, and a resilient brake means engaging said driven part; and wherein said lost motion means include a pin projecting in axial direction from said driven part, and a member secured to said main shaft and being formed with a slot receiving said pin so that motion is transmitted from said f5 armature to said main shaft only when said pinengages one end of said slot.

12. A taximeter according to claim 11 wherein said slot extends along part of a circle whose center coincides with the axis of said main shaft; and including a stop adjustably secured to said member having said slot for varying the circumferential length of said slot.

13. In a taximeter, in combination, a rotary main shaft for representing a fare by the number of revolutions thereof; one-way distance clutch means adapted to be continuously driven by distance drive means and operatively connected with said rotary main shaft for continuously turning the same according to the distance travelled; one-way time clutch means also operatively connected with said main shaft for turning the same; intermittently operating time drive means for intermittently driving said one-way time clutch means during spaced time periods and at a predetermined speed; and lost motion means connecting said time clutch means with said rotary main shaft so as to prevent rotating of said main shaft by said time clutch means while said distance clutch means tends to rotate said rotary main shaft temporarily at a speed lower than said predetermined speed of said time clutch means.

14. A taximeter according to claim 13 wherein said lost motion means include pin-and-slot connecting means.

15. A taximeter according to claim 13 wherein said slot extends along part of a circle whose center coincides with the axis of said main shaft; and including a stop adjustably secured to said member having said slot for varying the circumferential length of said slot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,312,747 8/1919 Picard 23S-44 2,637,492 5/ 1953 Winch 23S-30 2,698,132 12/1954 Potbriand 235-30 FOREIGN PATENTS 761,390 11/1956 Great Britain.

RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. LEO SMILOW, Examiner. 

6. IN A TAXIMETER, IN COMBINATION, A ROTARY MAIN SHAFT FOR REPRESENTING A FARE BY THE NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS THEREOF; ONE-WAY DISTANCE CLUTCH MEANS ADAPTED TO BE DRIVEN BY DISTANCE DRIVE MEANS AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID MAIN SHAFT FOR TURNING THE SAME ACCORDING TO THE DISTANCE TRAVELLED; ELECTROMAGNETIC TIME DRIVE MEANS HAVING AN ARMATURE RECIPROCATING AT A CONSTANT FREQUENCY; ONE-WAY TIME CLUTCH MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID ELECTROMAGNETIC TIME DRIVE MEANS AND ACTUATED BY THE SAME; AND LOST MOTION MEANS CONNECTING SAID TIME CLUTCH MEANS WITH SAID MAIN SHAFT SO THAT THE SAME IS DRIVEN FROM SAID ELECTROMAGNETIC TIME DRIVE MEANS AT A PREDETERMINED CONSTANT AVERAGE NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE WHEN SAID DISTANCE CLUTCH MEANS DRIVES SAID MAIN SHAFT AT A SPEED BELOW A PREDETERMINED MINIMUM SPEED, WHILE SAID LOST MOTION MEANS PREVENTS DRIVING OF SAID MAIN SHAFT BY SAID TIME CLUTCH MEANS WHILE SAID DISTANCE CLUTCH MEANS ROTATES SAID MAIN SHAFT AT A SPEED ABOVE SAID PREDETERMINED MINIMUM SPEED. 